Doctors Orders
by parttimeficwriter
Summary: Ruth isn't feeling too well and Harry is worried about her. R/H fluff for Valentines Day!


He watched her as she tried to stifle yet another yawn. Granted, Malcolm's lecture on the new computer software was not the most fascinating of materials and definitely had the potential to put anyone to sleep, but he knew it was more than that. He tried not to worry but the dark shadows under her eyes were causing him more concern that he would like to admit. Unwilling to make anyone suffer this any longer, Harry cut Malcolm off mid speech and announced that he'd had enough for one day. Relieved, the rest of the team shot their boss grateful looks and hurried out of the meeting room faster than usual. Harry, however, only had eyes for the petite brunette that was still sat at the table, quietly gathering her belongings and mustering the energy to move.

"I thought I told you to stay at home and rest?" His voice was soft and she could see the concern in his eyes as he perched himself on the edge of the table beside her.

"No, you said I could take the day off if I wanted to. I didn't want to."

He rolled his eyes at her and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'stubborn mule' under his breath, causing her to glare at him.

"I've told you not to call me that!"

"No, you told me not to call you naive."

Realising that he was, in fact, correct, she decided to change the subject. "What do you want, Harry?"

He reached for her hand and stroked his fingers lightly over the back of it before giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. "I'm worried about you. You don't seem to be shaking this bug off easily. I think you should take a couple of days off and maybe go see the doctor."

She moved their hands so that her fingers entwined with his and smiled at the fact that she could. "I'm feeling much better than I did Harry. I'm just a little tired is all, nothing to worry about." Her cheeks were slightly pink as she lowered her voice and said, "Anyway, I think Dr Pearce has been taking excellent care of me."

He leant down and pressed a quick but sweet kiss to her forehead. "Just promise me you'll have a proper break for lunch today. In fact, I'll cancel my meeting and we can have lunch together." He saw she was about to protest and gave her fingers a last squeeze. "Doctors orders."

She nodded and smiled at him sweetly. "One O'clock?"

---

At five past one, he impatiently marched over to her desk. "Stop what you're doing, Ruth. It's lunch time."

"I know, I just need to finish this." She continued to stare at her screen and type away, until Harry reached over and switched her monitor off. "Harry!"

"I'm a patient man, Ruth, but even I have my limits. Follow me."

She noted his no-nonsense tone and obediently followed, deciding that she really didn't have the energy to fight with him today. She was surprised to see how empty the Grid was and wondered how she hadn't noticed that virtually everyone had disappeared from their desks. He paused at the door to his office and gestured for her to go in first. She smiled warmly at him as she brushed past and gave an involuntary gasp as she took in the sight before her. His desk had been moved back slightly to create more floor space and spread out between the desk and the couch was a blanket which had been set out for a picnic. She hadn't heard him move from the door but was aware of his warm presence behind her seconds before his arms wrapped around her waist and his head rested against hers.

"Happy Valentines Day sweetheart," he murmured as he placed a delicate kiss on her ear. "It's not much but I hope it helps to make you feel a little bit better."

She could feel herself welling up with emotion at his unexpected gesture. Truth be told she had forgotten what day it was and she suddenly felt unworthy of his gesture. "It's wonderful, but Harry I..."

He turned her around until she faced him and placed a solitary finger against her lips. "No buts, we can celebrate properly when you feel better. Hungry?"

"Thank you. Yes, I am a bit."

"Good, now sit down."

---

"What are you doing?" she asked, and continued to sip her sparkling water as she eyed him suspiciously.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he countered and carried on removing his socks and shoes.

"It looks like you're having some sort of mental breakdown. Full suit, bare feet and lying on blanket on the office floor, should I call a psychiatrist?"

He poked his tongue out at her and laid down on the blanket, arms pillowed behind his head so that he could still see her. "No but you can put that glass down and come lie with me for a bit." He noted her raised eyebrow and shook his head. "You have a filthy mind Miss Evershed."

"I didn't say anything!"

He laughed at her indignation, "You didn't have to, I know you too well. Just come and lay on the bloody blanket will you? It's supposed to be romantic!"

"Oh well, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?" Her words were laced with sarcasm but she reached down and unfastened her shoes anyway. Within moments she was snuggled into his side, her head resting on his shoulder and one arm across his broad chest. She could feel the contentment spread throughout her body as they lay together; his strong and steady heartbeat thumped beneath her ear and before she knew it she was asleep.

Harry gazed down upon her and indulged in the simple pleasure of watching the woman he loved sleep. It hadn't been his intention for her to fall asleep but he reasoned that she obviously needed it and made the decision to let her sleep for as long as she needed to. He was aware, however, that he would have to get up soon and go to his meeting: he doubted the Home Secretary would class Ruth's welfare as a valid reason for cancelling. He tried his best not to disturb her but since every time he tried to move she snuggled closer to him, it was becoming difficult.

"Ruth..." his whispers of her name eventually caused her sleepy eyes to flutter open. "I have to go to a meeting. You stay here and sleep, ok?"

"Mmmm..." she shifted slightly and allowed him to move from under her.

"I won't be too long, sweetheart and then I'll take you home."

She could feel her eyes getting heavy again and tried to fight off the tiredness to talk to him, and despite her best efforts it came out as a sleepy mumble, which made little sense to him. He managed to pick out the words 'cuddles' and 'tired' but that was the best he could do.

"Ssssh, close your eyes and go back to sleep." He brushed a kiss across her forehead and couldn't help the smile that formed at her contented sigh.

He wiped the smile from his face as he locked the door to his office and then crossed the rapidly refilling Grid. He pulled Adam to one side as he neared the pods. "Ruth is asleep in my office. I'm going to see the Home secretary then I'll be back to take her home."

"She's no better?"

"She claims to be but I've never known her fall asleep mid-afternoon at work before. So, whether she likes it or not, the doctor will be coming to visit."

"I'll make sure no-one disturbs her."

Nodding his thanks, Harry turned and walked through the pods.

---

Having cut his meeting as short as possible, Harry hastened back to the office, suddenly worried that Ruth would have woken up to find herself locked in and be in a foul mood as a result. He needn't have worried, however, since she was still stretched out on the blanket, sleeping soundly. Pushing his worries to one side for now, he woke her gently and asked her how she felt.

"A bit queasy again, actually. I think I'd like to go home."

"Sense, at last," he teased, trying to mask the fact that he was becoming increasingly distressed. He was a rational man that rarely panicked but everything had always been different where she was involved. He helped her off the floor and out of his office. They had made it half way across the Grid when she fainted. How he had managed to catch her, he wasn't certain, but he scooped her up into his arms and carried her back to his office, whilst shouting at anybody listening to get the duty doctor.

By the time the doctor arrived, Ruth had come round and was sat on the sofa, sipping some water and reassuring Harry that she was fine. The doctor gave her a cursory examination and assessed that she was responding well.

"Any sickness at all today?" he asked as he checked her pulse.

"Just queasiness."

"Headache?"

"Yes." She saw Harry look at her from the corner of her eye but resolutely kept her gaze on the doctor.

"I wouldn't worry too much; these things are all fairly common in early pregnancy." Unaware of two jaws being dropped simultaneously, the doctor carried on. "How many weeks are you?"

"P-pregnancy?"

"Yes." He looked at his patient and registered the look on her face. "You had no idea, I take it?"

She shook her head wildly and didn't dare chance a look in Harry's direction. "In that case, we'll do a test just to make sure but you're very healthy and all the symptoms point to that conclusion." He busied himself with putting his things back into his medical bag as he spoke. "I'll give you two a few moments alone. Come up to the office when you're ready and we'll do the test then sort you some vitamins out."

She nodded absently, her fingers twisting themselves together nervously as she sat and contemplated what this meant for the two of them.

"Ruth?" Unbidden, tears formed and she struggled not to cry at the sound of his voice.

He was beside her in an instant and pulled her into his arms as her face crumpled and the first tears fell. "Oh sweetheart, please don't cry." He lifted her chin up so that their eyes met. "Is it really so bad?"

"No, it's not bad," she whispered, adamantly. "It's just not how this moment should be. I always thought that finding out I was having your baby would be a perfect moment and then I'd get to tell you and you'd be so happy and now I've ruined it all!"

"You haven't ruined anything, Ruth." He wiped the tears from under her eyes with the backs of his fingers, before taking her hand and pulling her off the couch and onto the blanket.

"What are you doing?"

"Turning back time," he answered cryptically with a smile and she shot him a very confused look.

He lay down as he had before and encouraged her to lie beside him. Once she was happily snuggled into his side, as she had done earlier, he whispered, "Pretend it's two hours ago, a perfect time to tell me some wonderful news."

She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time but instead chose to squeeze him a little tighter, mumbling that he was insane as she kissed his cheek softly. He gave a short laugh and turned his head to capture her lips in a gentle kiss, his tongue slipping into her mouth and toying lightly with hers. He released her from the kiss and watched as her eyes fluttered open and focused on his.

"Harry, I think I'm pregnant."

He smiled widely at the soft spoken words and pulled her in for another kiss, his breath tickling her lips as he whispered "I had a funny feeling you were going to say that," seconds before his mouth covered hers and there was no more talking for some time.


End file.
